Daisy
by SkyeFinal
Summary: [One-shot] It started out as a simple curiosity and later bloomed into friendship between Hiroomi and Akihito. Then everything went red.


_Daisy_

_-Skyefinal_

* * *

_Everything was annoying. _

_Why?_

"_Akkey!"_

_Who?_

"_Snap out of it!"_

_Stop it. Stop yelling. It hurts._

"_Akkey!"_

_I said stop!_

"_Akihito!"_

_STOP!_

_He roared, he felt his arms move to slash out at the annoyance. Something or someone, his mind whispered, fell to the ground._

"…_Ak….key…" _

_Everything was red._

* * *

Hiroomi first met Kanbara during their elementary years.

It wasn't accurate to say 'met' when Hiroomi merely observed this Kanbara Akihito, the famous half-youmu within the Nase clan's territory.

Hiroomi was curious about Kanbara Akihito. He had heard from a pair of siblings that Kanbara survived a car skidding off the road and crashing into him. The siblings said his body flew into a pole and they definitely heard his bones cracking. The younger of the two said he saw the bone itself and when they called the ambulance and rushed over to Kanbara to see if he was still alive, all his injuries were gone.

"He's not normal!" The younger one, Ryuu, exclaimed, "It was so scary seeing that!"

The older sibling, Torii, nodded, "Be careful, Nase. He's probably cursed."

"I think he stole the life of the driver in order to heal himself!" Ryuu whispered, "That's how he's cursed."

Hiroomi snorted and waved a hand as he walked away. "I doubt that."

Honestly, children these days Hiroomi thought. Not that he could blame them though, humans fear the unknown and make up their own tales to explain the unexplainable. Though every tale told holds some grain of truth.

"Cursed, huh." Hiroomi let the familiar sparks of his barrier form around his hand, ready to be unleashed on his command. "No, we're just alone."

* * *

"_I told you not to get too close to him." _

_Hiroomi slowly opened his eyes and groaned. He ached everywhere, especially his back. He turned his head to the side._

"_Izumi-neesan", he tried to sit himself up but a cold hand stopped him from moving._

"_Stop." She softly said. "Do you want to further injure yourself?"_

_Hiroomi tilted his head as far as he could and saw the rows and rows of bandages wrapped around his back. They were slightly tinged red._

"_Oh."_

"_What were you thinking?" Izumi asked. It was then Hiroomi saw the stress lines on his sister's face. He felt guilt slowly build in his chest, she already has so much to deal with as the acting head of the Nase clan and Hiroomi added unnecessary worries onto her plate. _

"_I'm sorry." Hiroomi muttered, wishing he had his muffler to dig his face into. "But I couldn't leave him alone."_

_He could hear Izumi sighed. Hiroomi stiffened when Izumi stroked his head and relaxed, it was rare for the elder to display affection. "Disobedient child."_

"_Neesan?" Hiroomi asked drowsily, it's been so long since he's been treated as a child. Izumi hummed to prompt her younger brother to ask his question._

"_What will happened to Akkey?"_

_Her hand stopped for a second before resuming smoothing his hair back. "Sleep. We'll discuss about it when you're able to move."_

* * *

The first time Hiroomi talked to Kanbara was in middle school.

"What are you doing?" Hiroomi stared amusingly at the sight before him.

Kanbara yelped and dropped the biscuit from his hands. The small squirrel-like youmu ran off.

"Ah!" Kanbara stared forlornly as the youmu disappeared. He glared at Hiroomi, "Why'd you do that!"

"Well, you just looked so amusing that I had to speak up." Hiroomi smiled and held out a hand. "Nase Hiroomi."

Kanbara stared at the hand offered at him. As if he couldn't believe someone would want to touch him. He slowly shook the hand, "Kanbara Akihito."

His eyes widened when Hiroomi didn't let go from the handshake. Hiroomi brought his other hand to cradle Kanbara's hand and stared intently at it.

"Uh…" The half-youmu gave a little shake. "Nase-senpai, could you please, you know, let go?"

"You…" Hiroomi said, looking very strongly into Kanbara's eyes.

Kanbara wanted to run away. He should've listened to his mother's advice about not talking to strangers. But technically Nase wasn't a stranger, he's from the same school, so that's okay right? Right!?

Hiroomi brought Kanbara's hands up to his face, "You're warm." Hiroomi slightly nuzzled Kanbara's hand.

Kanbara squeaked, tore his hand away from Hiroomi's grasp and darted far, far away from his strange senpai.

* * *

_Hiroomi gingerly sat down in front of his elder sister. He thanked whoever decorated the room ordered a plush sofa instead of a stiff one._

"_You called for me, Izumi-neesan?"_

"_It's about Kanbara Akihito." Hiroomi snapped his head to stare at his sister. "Our orders from the Spirit World Warrior Society are to detain him until further notice."_

_Hiroomi gaped at Izumi. "What will happen to Akihito after detainment?"_

_Izumi shrugged. "He is the only known case of being half-youmu, half-human." Hiroomi grimaced, there were many people who wanted to experiment on such rare cases like Akihito._

"_And the other option?" Hiroomi asked. He hoped there was another option._

"_Extermination." Izumi said bluntly, she raised her eyebrow at the display of anger. Really, Kanbara brings out hidden sides from the Nase family. She repeated her earlier words to Hiroomi, "I told you not to get close to him."_

"_And we're expected to carry out those orders?" Hiroomi clenched his fists. "It wasn't Akkey's fault that he lost control. You know that, Izumi-neesan."_

"_Yet there is no denying Kanbara Akihito is a dangerous being." She calmly rebuked back. "There are no other options."_

"_We could've looked after him better!" Hiroomi argued back. "If we had paid attention this could've been avoided!"_

"_Who would look after him?" Izumi asked._

"_I could've looked after him!"_

_Izumi smiled. "I'll hold you on to those words, Hiroomi."_

_Hiroomi gazed back confused at his older sister. "What do you mean?"_

"_Did you really think I would've handed Kanbara Akihito over to the Spirit World Warrior Society that easily?"_

"_Uh…"_

* * *

"Yo, Akkey."

Again Akihito shouted out loud, dropped his biscuit, and the small squirrel-like youmu ran off.

"Stop doing that!" Akihito whipped his body around to face Hiroomi. "Who the heck is Akkey!?"

"You are," Hiroomi said bluntly.

"I don't even know you and you're already giving me nicknames!?"

"Well, someone as warm as you should have a nickname."

"That makes no sense at all!" Akihito pointed at the other. "At least don't give me a washed-up idol's name as a nickname!"

"But Akkey suits you."

Akihito mussed his hair in agitation. "Ah, I regret using my time to speaking with you. You owe me an apology!"

Hiroomi shrugged, "You're so rowdy."

Akihito sighed. "So, what do you want?"

"What, I can't simply have a chat?"

"You're a Spirit World Warrior." Akihito said nonchalantly. "There's only one reason why you and other warriors come to me."

"Oh?" Hiroomi raised an eyebrow. He couldn't mean…

"You want to kill me right?" Akihito dropped his bag and faced Hiroomi, arms raised to his side. "Well, go on. I'll tell you before you start, but killing me is quite impossible."

"And you'll die? Just like that?" Hiroomi stuffed his hands in his pockets. This was unacceptable he thought, this shouldn't happen at all in the Nase family's territory.

"It's not like I want to die." Akihito tilted his head, confused to why the other was not attacking him yet. "It's not like I have the ability to fight back or run away forever. It's just easier this way. People tend to give up after finding out I can't die."

"I'm appalled that you think my actions are a ploy to kill you." Hiroomi said.

"What?" Akihito lowered his arms. "You weren't planning to kill me from the start?"

"No."

Akihito moved his mouth to speak but failed, unable to form words. Hiroomi stared back entertained at Akkey's behaviour; really, he thought, Akkey truly is interesting.

"But I'm part-youmu! Aren't you supposed to kill me?"

"But you're also part-human, no?" Hiroomi wondered what kind of life Akihito lived if no one reminded him that he was still human technically. Hiroomi was brought out of his thoughts when he heard sniffing.

"Augh," Akihito groaned, tears falling down onto his cheeks. "This is your fault, I don't even know why I'm crying."

"You really are interesting."

"What did you say!?"

Hiroomi laughed.

* * *

"_Thank you for coming, Nino-san, Shindou-san." _

"_We've known each other for how long now, Hiroomi. Stop being so stiff." Ninomiya scolded. "I swear you're going to be as stiff as your sis."_

"_Now now, Nino-san." Ayaka chuckled. "Let's hear what Hiroomi-kun has to say."_

"_I'm sure you've heard Kanbara Akihito." The two nodded. "This is going to be a heavy favor, but I was wondering if you two would help me in containing Kanbara Akihito if he should succumb to his youmu side in the future."_

* * *

"Whoa."

"Don't just stand there." Hiroomi gestured Akihito to follow him inside.

"You're house is huge." Akihito said in wonder as he entered the building.

"Aniki!" A black-haired girl ran down the steps. "Izumi-neesama wants to see you."

"Mitsuki." Hiroomi sighed. "When are you going to call me oniichan?"

"Pervert," Mitsuki crossed her arms in disgust. She turned her sights to Akihito and raised an eyebrow. "Is this your pervert accomplice?"

"What-no!" Akihito spluttered out. "I'm not a sis-con. I'm a _meganest_."

"Still a pervert. I'm ashamed you're my classmate."

"Wait, you're in my class?"

"Humph."

"Mitsuki, could you lead Akkey to my room while I meet with Izumi-neesan?"

"Fine."

Hiroomi watched as the two left, arguing whether or not being a 'meganest' equals being a pervert. He adjusted his scarf and headed to where his other sister was waiting.

"Izumi-neesan? You called for me?"

"That boy," Izumi started, her back to Hiroomi as she stared out the window. "He's the half-youmu?"

"Yes."

Silence stretched to what seemed forever for Hiroomi, he wasn't sure where his sister was heading with his conversation. He wasn't aware of any rules within the Nase family that he couldn't befriend a half-youmu.

"Izumi-neesan, are you aware of other Spirit World Warriors attacking Kanbara?" Hiroomi inquired. "He's immortal and human, shouldn't he receive a certificate of some sort from the Society like Shindou-san?"

"He's not an appraiser, Hiroomi." Izumi reprimanded. "Because he is the first half-youmu case, there are no regulations that restrict attacks against him."

"But-!"

"Be that as it may, I will try to work some sort of restriction order to stop attacks on Akihito-kun." Izumi crossed over to stand in front of Hiroomi; she brushed her hair out of her eyes and studied her younger sibling.

"Don't get to close to him." Izumi said. She turned around and walked out of the room, but not before patting Hiroomi on the head. "Don't keep him here too late."

"…Okay." Hiroomi responded, putting one hand on his head where Izumi patted and stared as his sister left. "…What was that about?"

* * *

"_How long are you going to stay in that tree, Akkey?"_

_No answer. Hiroomi looked up at Akihito. "It's amazing how you're not even on the verge of falling. Are you part monkey as well?"_

_Akihito moved so his back faced Hiroomi. "Go away."_

"_I'm hurt." Hiroomi pouted. "I came out all the way here to see you."_

"_Aren't you hungry?" Hiroomi coaxed. "Come on, I got some omuraisu here…"_

"_Go. Away."_

"_Can't be helped then." Hiroomi sighed. He might regret this, but Akkey really needed to get out of that tree. He held the take-out food more securely and braced himself. _

"_H-hey…what are you-"_

_Hiroomi jumped up the tree._

_Frantic hands steadied him. Just in time Hiroomi thought dazedly as a spike of pain erupted from his back. His mouth tightened as the pain pulsed for a moment before settling into a dull throb. He sighed, shoulders relaxed. He became aware of Akihito scolding him._

"_You idiot! There's no way you could've jumped that high without being in pain…" Akihito trailed off as he noticed Hiroomi stared at him, amused. Akihito snatched his hands from Hiroomi's shoulders. "Sorry, I shouldn't be one to talk."_

"_What's done is done." Hiroomi waved a hand. _

_A comfortable silence passed between the two. The blue skies turned into a warm red. Hiroomi took the chance to study Akihito. He looked tired, his eyes shadowed, and maybe just a tad bit thinner. _

"_Let's eat."_

"_Why are you here?" Akihito drew his legs up, curling into himself._

"_Because Akkey is here."_

"_Pfft." Akihito glanced over. "What am I a mountain?"_

"_Nah, just a kouhai that loves glasses too much."_

_Akihito's eyes widen and for the first time gave a small, genuine smile. "Heh, what's with that answer…"_

"_Akihito." Hiroomi turned serious. They couldn't avoid this anymore. "You'll have to be monitored now by the Nase family."_

"_Oh…"_

_Akihito didn't look all too surprised._

"_You'll be monitored by Mitsuki and I."_

"_Eh!?" Akihito shouted. "But-why? Why is it you?"_

"_I'm not good enough?"_

"_No! I almost killed you!" Akihito shouted. He slumped over, admitting his crime left him drained and weary, he continued softly. "I don't understand why you're still talking to me. I nearly killed you. I would've expected to be exiled or death. Somehow."_

"_Death was an option." Hiroomi said, ignoring the slight hitch of breath from Akihito. "But Izumi-neesan opted for surveillance. You are the rare, famous half-youmu, it'd be a waste if you were to vanish so soon."_

"_Don't treat me like I'm an object."_

_Hiroomi held up a hand and let his barriers flicker into existence. "Of course, in the situation where you can't be contained, I'll erase the space within your cells. It won't kill you, but you can't exist that way."_

"_Oh." Akihito sucked in a shuddering breath. He had to be strong, he's afraid, but he was given a second chance. "Okay."_

"_So Akkey, I won't raise a hand against you," Hiroomi promised to Akihito and he dispelled his barrier, blue-green sparks flashing in front of their eyes. "In exchange, you can't offer help to anyone."_

* * *

"Ah." Akihito groaned, dropping his head onto his book. "I can't study anymore!"

"Well, shall we call it a night?" Hiroomi snapped his textbook shut. He took a look outside, "Hm, it's pretty dark out. Stay the night here."

"Eh?" Akihito lifted his head. "It's okay. I don't want to bother you, it's not that dark."

"Nonsense." Hiroomi started tidying up his area, Izumi's warning coming to mind. "Izumi-neesan won't mind. Is my company that bad?"

"No!" Akihito fidgeted. "I...just never slept over at someone's place okay? What am I going to do about clothes?"

Hiroomi eyed Akihito. "We're pretty much the same size. I'll lend you mine."

Hiroomi went to his closet, picking out clothing suitable for sleeping. "You can head for the baths first, I'll put the clothes out for you where you'll see it when you're finished." When he didn't hear a reply Hiroomi turned around. Akihito was fixated on the window causing Hiroomi to look as well. He thought he saw a familiar small creature move and disappeared from the window. "Akihito?"

"Ah!" Akihito jolted, a hand clutching onto his arm. "R-right. Yeah, I'll go first. Thanks!"

Hiroomi watched the other boy leave. "Hm."

Time passed and Hiroomi found himself looking down at Akihito sleeping in the futon. It was…weird for the lack of a better word. He made sure Akihito was fed well, made sure his sister didn't go too far in his teasing, and avoided Izumi's stare. Hiroomi never had a schoolmate over in his room before, let alone enter his house. So why now, he wondered. Why and when did he started…to care?

"It's getting a bit creepy now, Hiroomi."

He chuckled, "Don't forget I'm still your senpai."

Akihito rolled over. "I'll start calling you that when you give up calling me a washed-up idol's name."

"Remind me to let you listen to their CD's and you'll regret saying those words."

"Never."

A comfortable silence passed. Hiroomi snuggled deeper in his comforter, it was getting colder nowadays, "Hey Akihito?"

"Hm?" Akihito blearily opened his eyes.

"What's with that youmu? It was here earlier wasn't it?"

Akihito stilled, laughing softly as he explained. "I think it just misses me. I'm the only one that feeds it I think."

Hiroomi hummed in response, he didn't pry anymore. That could be done another day.

"Senpai?"

"Oh," Hiroomi said in mock shock. "What brought this on?"

"Do I look like a normal human to you?"

"I see a kouhai that likes glasses too much."

Akihito snapped his head up to Hiroomi but the other already rolled over and feigned sleep.

"Go to sleep, Akkey."

"Heh."

* * *

"_Mitsuki, won't you feed me the porridge?"_

"_You injured your back, aniki. Not your arm, feed yourself." Mitsuki huffed when she slammed the tray a bit too hard in front of Hiroomi. She snatched the lollypop and sat herself onto the sofa in front of him. Hiroomi laughed softly, his sister is so cute._

"_Mitsuki."_

"_What?"_

"_What was Akihito like? Before I met him."_

_Mitsuki twirled the lollypop in her mouth before answering. She pointed the treat at Hiroomi. "He's an idiot, basically."_

"_You remember those two siblings? The ones who saw Akihito get hit by a car and got spooked by his healing abilities?" Hiroomi nodded. "Because of that, none of the other students talked to him. He was labeled as a 'cursed kid' and became isolated._

"_There were also people who'd like to 'test' his abilities. He'd come into class with dirtied, ripped clothing but no injuries. But he'd always come to class with an idiotic smile on face and helped anyone despite the rumors surrounding him."_

"_And his parents?" Hiroomi asked._

"_Not there. His dad's the youmu and his mom is the Spirit World Warrior. I've never seen either of them at school."_

"_So he's alone."_

"_Yeah."_

* * *

"Akkey!" Hiroomi shouted, he placed his hands on his hips. "Where did he go, I told him to wait here before heading to my house."

He headed towards his house when he noticed the same squirrel-like youmu that he had often seen with Akihito. It stared at him, scurried ahead a few feet, and looked back at Hiroomi.

"You want me to follow?"

The youmu nodded and ran full-speed, Hiroomi hastily chased after it. He yelled if the youmu knew where Akihito was and he got several squeaks as an answer. _I must be crazy, following a yomu! _Hiroomi thought, it was unheard of as a Spirit World Warrior. They ran through the residential area and into the forest. Hiroomi tried his best to dodge the tree branches without losing site of the youmu. "Wait!"

The youmu kept running before stopping suddenly. Hiroomi skidded to a halt beside the youmu, rubbing his arm where a branch smacked it. He surveyed his surroundings, he ran quite far from the town and he knew beyond the trees was a meadow of waist-high grass. He looked down at the youmu, "Is he here?"

The youmu nodded and shot forward, Hiroomi close behind. What he saw before him caused an indescribable feeling within him. Rage, sorrow, and protectiveness swirled in his chest; Hiroomi wanted to destroy whatever caused _this_.

Before him was Akihito, leaning against a rock with his eyes closed.

He would've made a peaceful picture of tranquility if it wasn't for the dried blood caking his head and a knife pinning Akihito's arm down onto a rock.

"Akkey!" Hiroomi rushed over dropping to his knees, he lightly hit the sleeping boy's face. No response. He looked over at the knife and moved to pull it out. Akihito whimpered slightly, curling around his arm. He groggily opened his eyes, "…Hiromi?"

"C'mon, we're getting out of here." Hiroomi muttered a quick apology and pulled the knife out, Akihito hissed in pain. If Hiroomi had more time to think he would've been concerned at Akihito's high tolerance of pain. He didn't want to think what that implied.

"How did you find me?" Akihito asked, still a bit dazed.

"Your squirrel friend found me." Hiroomi answered, he grabbed Akihito around the waist and brought the injured boy to his feet. Akihito opened his mouth to give a reply but he suddenly pushed Hiroomi from his grasp.

A knife embedded itself into Akihito's chest.

"Nngh!"

"Akkey!" Hiroomi scrambled to his feet but before he could take a step another knife flew in front of his feet.

"Whoa there boy." A man wearing a cowboy hat emerged from the forest. The squirrel-like youmu perched on his shoulder. "Don't go saving my prey now."

"Who are you?" Growled Hiroomi, his barrier already curled around his hand, his other hand gripped his scarf. He looked over to Akihito leaning against the rock and with shaking hands pulled out the knife. Hiroomi saw the wound beginning to close. Good_._

"Just another Spirit World Warrior, same as you." The man smirked. He took one step forward and in Hiroomi's eyes vanished. Hiroomi unfurled his scarf, ready to attack once he located the enemy.

"The name's Yuusuke." Hiroomi heard behind him. Before Hiroomi could react a fist punched him in the abdomen. He collapsed to the ground, wheezing. "Oh, a Nase kid."

Yuusuke lifted Hiroomi by the hair, bringing his face closer to examine his catch. "Well, you might be able to bring me some good money as ransom, heh."

"Let go of Hiroomi!" Akihito yelled, he barreled towards Yuusuke trying to get him away from Hiroomi. The warrior dodged, laughing.

"I wouldn't worry about the Nase kid, boy." Yuusuke grinned. "I'd worry about you."

"Huh?"

Then Akihito felt it, a slow, burning sensation in his chest. He gasped, clutching his chest. He couldn't breathe, moving was out of the question, everything _hurts_. He fell to his knees.

"Oh so it's starting?" Yuusuke twirled a knife. "I found a poison that I thought would kill you for sure. It slowly spreads throughout your body and destroys your organs."

"Hiroomi." Akihito wheezed out. He nudged Hiroomi's supporting hands away. "Get away from here."

"Like I'll run away now." Hiroomi argued back. There was no way he would abandon Akihito here alone with that man. "You need medical help now."

"No." Akihito slowly shook his head, eyes closing slowly. The poison was slowly making him unable to communicate. "It's not him…you need to get away from."

"Akkey? Akkey!" Hiroomi shook the unresponsive body. He glared at Yuusuke. "Why are you trying to kill him?"

"What on earth are you talking about, boy?" Yuusuke genuinely looked confused. "He is a youmu. I'm a Spirit World Warrior. It's our duty to eliminate youmu."

"He's human as well." Hiroomi snarled.

Yuusuke burst out in laughter. "Is this what they're teaching the Nase family now? You surprise me kid. A youmu is always a youmu. He might look harmless now, but what's to say later in life?"

Hiroomi might've agreed with Yuusuke if he never met Akihito before all of this happened. But he remembered the small moments when Akihito looked shocked at a handshake or sleeping over at another person's house and those small, but happy smiles that appeared on his face when all his other smiles look too wide, too fake.

No, Akihito isn't a danger.

Hiroomi opened his mouth but a purple pulse coming from the ground stopped him from speaking. He looked down, "…What?"

The pulse came from Akihito.

"Akkey?" Hiroomi said hesitantly.

Akihito twitched and slowly opened his eyes. Black eyes ringed with red and gold looked up. Akihito lifted up a hand and Hiroomi could see it elongated and became more claw-like, bigger than a normal human's hand. He didn't flinch when it landed on his chest, but he gasped as the hand pushed him far stronger than he thought; he landed a few feet away from Akihito.

"This is amazing!" Yuusuke exclaimed, gleefully laughing. "He actually transformed! After all this time, he finally transformed!"

Akihito paid no mind to the laughing man in front of him. He lifted his hand once more and watched as balls of flames surrounded it. He didn't move as a several knives flew in his direction. There was no need as the flames flew from his hand and melted the knives.

Yuusuke whistled, "He's more powerful than I thought."

Hiroomi couldn't move. He watched in horrid fascination as Akihito roared and sent more flames at Yuusuke. The flames engulfed the knives and crashed into the ground, creating a mini-creator.

"I can't wait to tell everyone I killed the immortal half-youmu!"

That phrase snapped Hiromi out of his daze. Before he realized what he was doing, he created a cage around Akihito and jumped in front of him using his scarf to deflect the knives aiming at him.

"Stop!" Hiroomi faced the warrior. He felt Akihito test his cage. He had to finish this fast or Akihito might break free. "Enough of this!"

"Stop getting in the way, kid." Yuusuke's eyes glinted in annoyance. "He can't be saved anymore. Give it up."

Hiroomi ignored Yuusuke and faced Akihito. He hoped this would work, "Akkey! Snap out of it! Akihito!"

Akihito gaze held no recognition of Hiroomi.

"I said to give up kid!" Knives flew at Hiroomi's back. He gripped his scarf again to deflect them, but flames bursting from the cage dissolved the knives and flew at Yuusuke. The warrior didn't expect the flames and screamed as he soared into the air from the flame's blast and into a tree, landing in a sickening crunch.

Hiroomi then felt claws rip into his back and he fell forward. He could feel blood soaking the ground around him. The last image he saw was a confused Akihito staring at his hands and Glaciate Barrier forming around him.

"…Ak..key…"

* * *

"_Yo!"_

_Akihito raised a hand to greet the two Nase siblings. He was given a note earlier by Mitsuki to meet in this old, book room._

"_What's up? Why are we meeting here anyways?"_

"_We're the literacy club now, so start reading." Mitsuki ordered, taking a seat and opening a book._

"_Huh?"_

"_Listen to the president, Akkey." _

"_HUH!?"_

_Akihito sighed, while he enjoyed reading he didn't understand why he was a part of the literacy club. He locked the door to the newly formed club's room and turned around. He nearly fell over as Hiroomi stood directly behind him._

"_W-what are you doing!?" _

"_I'm cold."_

"_Doesn't mean you stand right behind someone! Are you trying to give me a heart attack!?"_

"_Akkey," Hiroomi said, tone more serious. "The literacy club is our way of monitoring you."_

"_Oh." Akihito's shoulders slumped a bit. He sucked in a breath and smiled. "Okay. Right. That makes sense."_

_Akihito walked to the school entrance, Hiroomi following close behind. He noticed the tired lines around Akihito's eyes, he's still not able to grab a good night's sleep. The way Akihito smiled was too strained, Hiroomi thought. He felt a bit guilty, as it was Hiroomi who told him why the club formed. He wanted that smile to be real, so he did the only thing he knew that might work.  
_

"_Hiroomi."_

"_What, Akkey?"_

"_What's with those hands?"_

"_See, my fingers were cold and Akkey's waist is so warm and pure."_

* * *

Hiroomi still thought Akihito was interesting.

Interesting, but troublesome and somewhat of a martyr.

When Hiroomi forced the details out of Akihito, apparently Yuusuke was quite a sadistic person. Before he used Akihito as a target for practicing knife skills on, he would use other animals for training, toying with his prey as he slowly mutilated them before death. Akihito, being the idiot he was, offered himself as target practice. When Yuusuke found out about Akihito's identity, the attacks grew more aggressive as Yuusuke got frustrated that he couldn't kill Akihito. The squirrel-youmu was their source of contact.

"Why?" Hiroomi asked, disturbed that someone would willingly want to be hurt over and over.

"I think," Akihito smiled sadly, "That I wanted him to succeed. To actually kill me."

"And now?"

"Hm?"

"Do you still want someone to kill you?"

Akihito paused, thinking of an answer. He slowly shook his head and smiled.

Hiroomi smiled back.

* * *

"How long are you going to mope?"

"Go away."

"C'mon, get dressed."

"Uh, I'm already dressed?"

"Not for a festival."

"What!? Oof! H-hey! Don't just throw clothes at me and walk away!"

"Hurry up, this is my chance to see Mitsuki in a yukata."

"Not interested, you sis-con."

"Kuriyama will also be there."

"The combination of a yukata and glasses-!"

"Time's ticking, meganest."

"Wait, I really don't want to go."

"Too bad."

"H-hey! Stop dragging me!"

"Mitsuki, wait for me!"

* * *

A/N: annnd finally done! I hope you enjoyed this, I wrote it while waiting for episode 10 and finished it when it came out. Not sure if this is what happened in the light novels (does it touch on Akihito injuring Hiroomi?), but I'm basing it off the anime.


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